1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to food substances, and in particular to beverages. More particularly, the present invention relates to ultra heat treated (UHT) milk drinks which have been carbonated or aerated. Preferred embodiments of the present invention include an ultra heat treated, (UHT) sparkling skim milk including combinations of all ultra heat treated, (UHT) milk and all flavors of ultra beat treated, (UHT) milk, all ultra heat treated, (UHT) fruit juice combinations, ultra heat treated, (UHT) fermented yogurts, ultra heat treated, (UHT) non-dairy products, e.g.: soya, field milk, artificial milk and the like. In addition, the present invention relates to a method of carbonating ultra heat treated, (UHT) milk in aseptic and non-aseptic packaging.
Although the present invention will be described with particular reference to an ultra heat treated, (UHT) milk drink aerated with sterilized and purified carbon dioxide and to methods of carbonating the treated milk, it is to be noted that the present invention is not necessarily limited to this embodiment and the scope of the invention may be more extensive by including within it other beverages aerated with other gases and gas mixtures of varying ratios, such as substitute milk products, for example soya substitutes.
It is to be noted that the use of the general term, ultra heat treated (UHT) milk products include all kinds of ultra heat treated (UHT) milk products whether natural or artificial milk or substitute milk materials, such as for example, whole milk, low fat milk, modified milk, yogurt, and milk products in general including combinations with other beverages such as fruit juices, soy and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Soft drink sales and sales of aerated and or carbonated beverages in general have over a period of time increased so that not only are more beverages in general being sold but the market share of soft drinks and other carbonated drinks have been increasing at the expense of other types of drinks, such as milk product drinks. In order to increase the appeal of milk as a drink and hopefully to gain an increased market share for milk drinks, particularly in situations away from a refrigerator such as during out-of-home activities, it has been thought that if carbonated or aerated milk was available, this product, because of its similarities to soft drink in appeal, would be successful in view of it being perceived as a more healthy alternative to soft drinks.
The use of ultra heat treated (UHT) milk is well established in the art. It is well known that preheating milk to a temperature of 80 degrees centigrade then heating the preheated milk intensively for a short period of time, i.e. for approximately 2-5 seconds, to approximately 130 degrees-150 degrees centigrade followed by instant cooling to a temperature below 80 degrees-90 degrees centigrade will allow milk to become shelf stable. This heat sterilization process which also uses pressure during the ultra heat process kills micro organisms and allows one to keep milk shelf stable without refrigeration. Typical ultra heat treated (UHT) milk formulation processes are set forth in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,048 to Tetra Pak Development SA (1976), U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,532 to Parmalat S.p.A. (2000) and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,717 to Milk Marketing Board (1990).
Unfortunately, these patents do not relate to the process of carbonating or aerating the ultra heat treated (UHT) milk.
It is to be noted that the carbonation of milk is also well established in the art. Typical milk carbonation formulas arc set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 607,362 to FWH Graeff (1898), in U.S. Pat. No. 1,570,975 to D. Sweeney (1926), in U.S. Pat. No. 2,394,303 to H. Griesbeck (1940), in U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,552 to Dam"" Research (1989) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,960 to Dairy Research (1990).
Unfortunately, these patents do not relate to carbonating ultra heat treated milk products using a pre-heat and pressure process. In addition, these patents relate to the need of refrigerating the finished milk product and are not shelf stable.
Thus, a need exists for a carbonated or aerated ultra heat treated (UHT) milk beverage which uses a pre-heat/pressure process and does not need refrigeration for the finished product and is shelf stable.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:
(A) to provide a method for carbonation of pre-heated and pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) milk products and combinations of preheated and pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) milk products and to provide a pre-heated and pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) carbonated milk product that may also be flavored.
(B) to provide a method to aerate or carbonate pre-heated pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) milk with suitable gas or mixture of gases in a suitable package whereby the preheated and pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) milk products remains carbonated in the package for a reasonably long shelf life until opened and no refrigeration is required.
(C) to provide a method of aerating or carbonating pre-heated and pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) milk comprising of introducing a gas or a mixture of gases such as carbon dioxide into an pre-heated and pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) milk product under pressure, maintaining the pre-heated and pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) milk product in an aerated or carbonated state and packaging the aerated or carbonated preheated and pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) milk product into a package. Typically, the package includes bottles, aluminum cans, cartons of paperboard, aseptic or non aseptic packaging, plastics including PET, polypropylene and mixtures thereof or the like.
(D) to provide a method of aerating or carbonating pre-heated and pressurized ultra beat treated (UHT) milk to include whole milk, low fat milk, total milk solids, non-fat milk, soy or any other product conventionally referred to as milk or dairy product or non-dairy product or artificial milk product or milk substitute product where solid or liquid of any viscosity.
(E) to provide a method of carbonating pre-heated and pressurized ultra heat treated (UHT) milk without the excessive foaming and destabilization caused by sparging with gases at lightly elevated temperatures.